Decorative plastic trim strip

ABSTRACT

An improved decorative automotive vehicle trim strip and method and apparatus for forming are provided by reshaping an end of a previously extruded length of thermoplastic material. The surface of the length of thermoplastic material intended for viewing is maintained at a cold temperature, well below the softening point of the thermoplastic material, during the reshaping operation. The length of thermoplastic material is heated during reshaping by a mold section heated to 400° to 410° F. pressed against the surface intended to be affixed to the vehicle.

This is a division of copending application U.S. Ser. No. 07/397,965filed on Aug. 24, 1989 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,108,681.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a plastic trim strip of the type usedon automotive vehicles and to a method and apparatus for forming suchtrim strips.

2. Description of Related Art

Decorative trim strips are widely used to enhance the appearance ofautomotive vehicles. Typically, such trim strips are manufactured by aprocess which includes extrusion of a thermoplastic strip of a singleunitary plastic material or multiple plies of different types or colorsof plastic materials. Decorative plastic or metallic film may also beapplied to the viewing surface of such trim strips.

As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the extruded plasticmaterial, when cut to a desired length, will have the cut end exposedthroughout the cross section of the strip. In the extrusion operation itis possible to obtain any one of a wide variety of surface appearancesof the strip as extruded ranging from dull, to matted, to textured or toglossy, depending upon the type of extrusion die and operatingconditions. This is well known in the art and does not form a part ofthe present invention. However, the surface appearance as extruded willusually be different from the surface appearance of an end cut throughthe cross section of the strip. The difference in appearance between asurface as extruded and a surface of such cut end is magnified in thoseinstances in which a foam plastic strip is extruded as the cellularstructure of the foam will be visible on such cut end while the surfaceas extruded may have a non-cellular or solid structure. Thus, foraesthetic purposes it is not desirable to have an end which is cutthrough the cross section of the extruded length of plastic exposed toview and much effort has been devoted to providing an end finish to suchstrips which is aesthetically pleasing in appearance. Frequently, it isdesired that the strips terminate in tapered or pointed ends. However,whether such ends are tapered, pointed or some other configuration, itis desirable that no portion of the interior cross section of the stripbe exposed and that only the decorative surface be exposed to view whenthe strip is attached to a vehicle.

Additionally, in many instances the surface appearance of the side ofthe extruded strip intended to face the vehicle is different from thatof the surface intended for viewing. This is particularly true in thosestrips having multiple layers with the decorative layer intended forviewing having a different color than the base layer forming the sideintended to face the vehicle. In those types of strips, it iscommercially unacceptable for base layers to be visible when the stripis affixed to a vehicle.

Finished trim strips may be attached to a vehicle by any one of a numberof means well-known to those skilled in the art. One such attachmentmeans is a double-faced adhesive foam core strip, one side of which isattached to the vehicle and the other side of which contacts the surfaceof the trim strip facing the vehicle (i.e., the surface opposite thedecorative viewing surface).

Numerous methods have been utilized in the past to provide decorativestrips having aesthetically pleasing end portions; however, none ofthese have the combined advantages of aesthetics and cost economicswhich result from the present invention. For example, U.S. Pat. No.4,489,019 and its divisional U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,755 disclose forming alongitudinal molding with non uniform sections. The process disclosed insuch patents begins with an extrusion molded thermoplastic strip whichis then reshaped to provide a remolded end portion. The extrudedthermoplastic strip is placed into a mold, heated and partially fused byhigh frequency dielectric heating and then cooled in the mold so thatthe material is partially remolded. Preferably, the total volume of thewhole material placed in the mold is equal to the volume of the cavityof the mold. The heated portions of the longitudinal strips are meltedand flow along the surface of the cavity of each of the molds. Suchpatents also disclose reforming the strip around a separately moldedclip which may be utilized to connect the part to the vehicle.

U.S. Pat. No. 3,959,538 discloses contoured end structures for trimstrips formed from a length of extruded plastic material. The endstructures have various configurations and are produced by removing aportion of the trim strip material as extruded between the side portionsthereof to define a pair of V-shaped notches or recesses and thendeforming the remaining portions of the trim strip adjacent the recessto close the recess and bring laterally opposite edges thereof intojuxtapositional relationship. The juxtaposed edges are then bonded byheat sealing to complete the forming operation.

The method disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,174,986 also begins with alength of extruded thermoplastic material such as polyvinylchloride(PVC) which is cut into segments of desired lengths. Under thatinvention an improved method for forming tapered ends is disclosed withthe stated purpose of avoiding the tendency of the finished strip todelaminate from the substrate to which it is attached. Under thatinvention a V-shaped wedge is cut from an end of the strip therebycreating two similar triangular legs which are drawn together andadhered to create the pointed taper. The legs at the notched ends arebent upwardly approximately 45° to counteract the tendency of the end toarch after the taper is formed.

The inventions disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,617,209, 4,619,847 and4,719,067 utilize separately molded end caps which are separatelyadhered or otherwise affixed to the trim strip to provide for thedecorative end portion of the finished article.

With the exception of U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,019 and 4,579,755 theabove-identified prior art involves costly operations of either cuttingand adhering or of separately molding an end cap and adhering orotherwise connecting it to the extruded strip. Additionally, stripsformed according to those inventions suffer from an aesthetic standpointin that the parting line between the connected members is visible on theviewing surface of the finished part unless an additional decorativelayer of film such as Mylar plastic or metallic foil is appliedthereover.

Similarly, there is no indication in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,489,019 and4,597,755 that any effort is made to deal specifically with finishingthe end portions as proposed in the present invention. Although partsproduced according to the invention disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.4,489,019 and 4,597,755 may not have a parting line on the viewingsurface, the method utilized therein results in remelting the entiremass of the strip portion intended to be remolded so that all portions". . . are melted and flow along the surface of the cavity of each ofthe molds." (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,489,019, column 4, lines 13 and 14).Such remelting and flowing of the melted surface results in the surfacehaving an appearance different from that of the surface as extruded.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the present invention, the end portion of a length ofextruded plastic strip is reshaped to a desired contour in a mannerwhich permits the exterior surface intended to be viewed when thecompleted part is affixed to a vehicle (i.e., the viewing surface) to bereshaped along with the main structural portion of the extruded stripbut to do so without melting or otherwise altering the surfaceappearance of such viewing surface as originally extruded. This isaccomplished by maintaining the surface intended to be viewed against acontoured mold face maintained at a relatively cold temperature, wellbelow the melting point of the plastic forming such viewing surface,heating to the melting temperature a major mass of that portion of theextruded strip intended to be reshaped by moving a heated mold againstthe surface intended to face the vehicle, squeezing such portion betweenthe cold contoured mold face and the heated mold and cooling suchportion until it is set in conformity with said contoured mold face.

The volume of the mold cavity formed by the contoured mold face and theheated mold when closed is slightly less than the volume of the portionof the extruded strip intended to be reshaped. Accordingly, wastematerial or flash will be formed during the reshaping step and will betrimmed, preferably during the reshaping operation, or otherwise removedfrom the reshaped strip. Additionally, according to one embodiment, aportion of the excess volume of plastic may be forced into afrusto-conical or other shaped recess in the heated mold to form, duringthe reshaping step, a retaining stud which extends from the surfaceintended to face the vehicle.

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to form a trimstrip having a finished end of different contour from that of a cut endof the originally extruded strip.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and noveltrim strip and method and apparatus for reshaping an extruded length ofplastic into such trim strip such that only the surface as originallyextruded is visible when the finished strip is affixed to a vehicle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method forforming and reshaping the end portion of an extruded strip to form anaesthetically pleasing end portion in which there is no parting line inthe viewing surface between the main strip portion and the reshaped endportion.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method andapparatus for producing a trim part from an extruded strip having firstand second layers of material such that only one layer of such materialis visible when the part is affixed to a vehicle.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a new trimstrip having enhanced aesthetics.

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a trimstrip having an integral retaining stud extending from the surface ofthe reshaped portion intended to face the vehicle and to a method andapparatus for forming such retaining stud as part of the reshapingoperation.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an apparatusreshaping a length of extruded plastic material into an article havingan enhanced visual appearance.

It is another object of the present invention to provide a method andapparatus for forming an aesthetically pleasing end on the cut end of alength of plastic material.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1A is a perspective view of a strip of thermoplastic material asextruded and cut to the desired length for reshaping one or both ends.

FIG. 1B shows the strip of FIG. 1A after reshaping but before removal offlash.

FIG. 1C is a view similar to FIG. 1B showing the finished trim stripafter removal of flash.

FIG. 1D is a sectional view taken through line 1D--1D of FIG. 1A.

FIG. 2A is a view similar to FIG. 1A but showing a modified striphaving, as extruded, a plurality of layers of thermoplastic material.

FIG. 2B shows the strip of FIG. 2A after reshaping but before removal offlash.

FIG. 2C is a view similar to FIG. 2B showing the finished trim stripafter removal of flash with a fragmentary section taken from the outerlayer.

FIG. 2D is a sectional view taken through line 2D--2D of FIG. 2B.

FIG. 3A is a view similar to FIG. 1A showing a strip having, asextruded, a different cross-sectional shape.

FIG. 3B shows the strip of FIG. 3A after reshaping and removal of flash.

FIG. 4A is a view similar to FIG. 1A showing a strip having, asextruded, yet a different cross-sectional shape.

FIG. 4B shows the strip of FIG. 4A after reshaping but before removal offlash.

FIG. 4C is a view similar to FIG. 4B showing the finished trim stripafter removal of flash.

FIG. 4D is a sectional view taken through line 4D--4D of FIG. 4B.

FIG. 4E is a sectional view taken through line 4E--4E of FIG. 4D.

FIG. 5 is a schematic view in perspective showing apparatus forreshaping the strip as extruded and cut.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken through line 6--6 of the apparatus ofFIG. 5 showing a strip positioned therein prior to reshaping.

FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing the apparatus in closedreshaping position.

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary view, greatly enlarged, of that portion of FIG.7 showing the reshaped end and the channel for receiving excessmaterial.

FIG. 9 is a schematic view in perspective showing details of the heatingplate portion of the apparatus of FIG. 7.

FIG. 10A is a perspective view of a strip as extruded and cut at rightangles to the direction of extrusion preparatory to reshaping.

FIG. 10B is a perspective view showing a modified finished trim stripwith a retaining stud after removal of flash reshaped from an extrudedstrip of the type shown in FIG. 10A.

FIG. 11A is a perspective view of a different type and shape of strip asextruded and cut but prior to reshaping.

FIG. 11B shows the strip of FIG. 11A after reshaping and removal offlash to form the finished trim strip.

FIG. 12A is a perspective view of a different type and shape of strip asextruded but prior to reshaping with Mylar decorative layer and a clearPVC protective layer.

FIG. 12B shows the strip of FIG. 10A after reshaping and after removalof flash to form the finished trim strip.

FIG. 13 is a view similar to FIG. 7 showing modified apparatus forforming a finished trim strip.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to FIG. 1A, there is shown a strip 10 of thermoplasticmaterial as extruded from a conventional extrusion device well known inthe art. The plastic material is preferably polyvinylchloride (PVC) butit could also be a wide variety of other plastic materials. The strip 10has been cut to a desired length and has end portions 11 and 12.Pursuant to the present invention, one or both ends of the strip 10 maybe reshaped to form a finished trim strip. The finished trim strip 10Cas shown in FIG. 1C has had only one end reshaped. The strip 10 asextruded is contoured with a back or inner surface 13 which isrelatively flat and an outer surface 14, which may have one of a widevariety of cross-sectional configurations. In the strip shown in FIG.1A, the outer surface 14 has a rounded configuration when viewed incross section. As such, the outer surface 14 extends the full distancefrom its intersection with one edge of the inner surface 13 as at point14A to its intersection at the opposite edge as at 14B.

In most instances, it is aesthetically undesirable for the finished trimstrip to abruptly terminate in a raw cut end. Rather, it is desirablethat the end be shaped to an aesthetically pleasing configuration suchas a tapered end 16 which is disposed at an obtuse angle to thelongitudinal axis of the strip 10 and extends to a leading edge 17 asshown in FIG. 1C or other desired configuration.

As can be seen in FIG. 1B and as will be appreciated from a detaileddescription of the reshaping apparatus, the end of the strip 10 which isreshaped to form the tapered end 16 or other desired configuration, willhave flash or waste material 18 resulting from the reshaping step.Following removal of the flash 18, the finished decorative trim strip10C results as shown in FIG. 1C. Preferably, the flash 18 will beseparated or substantially separated from the strip 10 during thereshaping operation.

The strip 10 of FIG. 1A is shown with the end portion 11 cut at an anglerelative to the longitudinal axis approximating the angle of the taperedend 16 of the finished trim strip 10C shown in FIG. 1C. Although itwould be possible to form the finished trim strip 10C from a length ofmaterial cut at right angles to the direction of extrusion, to do sowould result in an increased amount of flash 18 if it is desired thatthe finished trim strip have a tapered end such as that shown at 16 inFIG. 1C.

Referring now to FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D and FIGS. 4A, 4B, 4C, 4D and4E, it is frequently desired to have a trim strip formed with a layer ofa different type or color of plastic material having an enhancedaesthetic appearance from that of the material used for the main portionof the extruded strip. Thus, as shown, there is provided a stripgenerally designated in FIG. 2A by the numeral 20 having ends 21 and 22and in FIG. 4A by the numeral 40 having ends 41 and 42. The strips 20and 40 are formed of two different materials which are coextruded anddesignated 23 as the inner or base layer and 24 as the outer aestheticlayer intended to be viewed when the finished part is attached to avehicle. The outer layer may also be PVC but one which is colored andformulated to have an enhanced aesthetic appearance such as one with ahigh gloss or a matted finish. As such, the outer layer 24 may be formedfrom a more expensive material than the inner core layer 23 which is notvisible when the finished part is attached to a vehicle. Since the innerlayer is intended to face the vehicle and be adhered or otherwisesecured thereto by attachment means such as double-faced adhesive foamcore strip, it has a flat inner face 25. The material for the outerlayer 24 must, of course, be compatible with the material from which theinner layer 23 is formed in order that the layers do not delaminatefollowing either the extrusion or the reshaping.

As can be seen from FIGS. 2A and 4A, the outer layer 24 extends from apoint 24A of intersection with the substantially flat inner face 25 ofthe layer 23 to the opposite point 24B of intersection with such face.FIGS. 2B and 2C show the strip 20 of FIG. 2A after the reshapingoperation with the finished trim strip 20C of FIG. 2C having a taperedend 26 which is disposed at an obtuse angle to the longitudinal axis ofthe strip 20 and extends to a leading edge 27. As in the case of theembodiment of FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 1D, the extruded strip 20 has beencut so that its end 21 is at an angle relative to the longitudinal axisapproximating the angle of the end 26 of the finished trim strip 20Cshown in FIG. 2C. As can be seen from FIGS. 2C and 2D followingreshaping, the outer layer 24 extends around the end 21 completely tothe inner face 25. This is further illustrated in FIGS. 2B and 2D whichshow the waste or flash 29 resulting from the reshaping. Thesignificance and importance of this is that the outer layer 24 havingenhanced aesthetic appearance must extend, following reshaping,substantially completely to the inner face 25 of the inner layer 23intended to contact the vehicle that the aesthetically appearing outerlayer 24 will be primarily visible when the finish strip 20C is affixedto a vehicle.

FIGS. 4B and 4C show the strip 40 of FIG. 4A after a reshaping operationaccording to a modified embodiment to be described in connection withFIG. 13. The finished trim strip 40C of FIG. 4C tapers to a point 43lying on the longitudinal axis. In order to form a finished trim strip40C tapering to a point 43, it is most expedicious to cut the strip 40so that the end 41 is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis; however,it could be cut with a pointed end approximating the taper of thefinished trim strip.

Similarly, FIGS. 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E show the reshaped strip 40 before andafter removal of flash 44 to form the finished trim strip 40C with theouter layer 24 extending to the inner face 25 throughout the peripheralextent of the reshaped end terminating at the point 43. FIG. 4B, 4D and4E also show a line of demarcation 45 in the flash 44 between thatoriginating with the inner layer 23 and that originating with the outerlayer 24.

FIG. 4D also shows an integrally formed retaining stud 49 extending fromthe inner face 25.

FIG. 3A shows a modified strip 90 as extruded. The strip 90 has an upperportion 91 of predetermined thickness and a lower portion 92 ofsignificantly lesser thickness. It has an end 93 which has been cutsubstantially perpendicular to the axis of extrusion. FIG. 3B shows themodified strip of FIG. 3A after reshaping and trimming to form afinished trim strip 90B. Such reshaping causes the outer surfaces of theupper portion 91 and the lower portion 92 to cover the cut end 93 and toform an aesthetically pleasing end on the finished trim strip.

Referring now to FIGS. 5-9, the apparatus for reshaping lengths ofextruded plastic material into finished trim strips includes a firstmold section 30 having a planar face 31 in which is formed a cavity 32conforming to the desired contour of the end of the finished trim strip.In the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, the contour of the cavity 32conforms to that of the finished trim strip 10C illustrated in FIG. 1Cand 20C illustrated in FIG. 2C. As such, it has a pair of parallel sides33 which extend to a tapered end wall 34 and joined thereto by a pair ofarcuate segments 35A and 35B. The arcuate segment 35B forms the leadingedge 17 of the finished trim strip 10C. The opposite end 36 of thecavity is open and has a contour substantially matching that of theouter surface 14 of the strip 10 as extruded.

The upper peripheral edge of the cavity 32 is defined by a knife edge 37lying in or slightly above the plane of planar face 31. Outwardly fromthe knife edge 37 is a channel 38 intended to receive excess or wastematerial which results from the reshaping operation forming the flash18.

It is desired that the first mold section 30 be maintained at atemperature well below that of the softening or melting point of theplastic material and ideally at a temperature of approximately 140° F.or lower. Accordingly, there is provided a cooling passageway 46 forreceiving cooling water or other cooling medium from an inlet pipe 47.An outlet pipe 48 is provided to discharge the cooling water from thepassageway 46.

Positioned directly above the first mold section 30 is a second moldsection 50. The second mold section 50 has a lower member 51 having aflat or planar molding face 52 facing the planar face 31 and contouredcavity 32 of the first mold section 30. The lower member 51 may beheated by means well known in the molding art such as conventionalcartridge heaters 54 positioned near each of the four corners. Thecartridge heaters are connected to a temperature control means (notshown) which maintain the temperature of the lower molding member 51during the reshaping step above the melting temperature of the plasticmaterial. For reshaping PVC, it is desired that the temperature of suchlower member 51 be maintained between 400°-410° F. to effectively heatthe strip 20 to a temperature conducive to reshaping. As is well knownin the art, PVC is subject to thermal degradation if it is heated atexcessively high temperatures for extended periods of time. It has beenfound that maintaining the temperature of the lower member 51 betweenabout 400°-410° F. permits the reshaping operation to be completedeffectively without causing thermal degradation to the PVC material.

Following the reshaping operation, it is desired that the second moldsection 50 be cooled to approximately 140° F. in order to make certainthe finished trim strip is fully set prior to opening the mold sections30 and 50. Accordingly, means are provided for cooling the lower member51 of the second mold section 50. In order to accomplish this, thesecond mold section 50 also includes an upper cooling member 55 having aplate 56 from which a plurality of baffles 57 depend. The lower member51 has a rectangular cavity 59 formed therein. The plate 56 and baffles57 of the cooling member 55 are sized so that the baffles 57 will bepositioned in the cavity 59 of the lower molding member 51 when theplate 56 of the cooling member 55 is engaged to the top of the lowermember 51. The cooling member 55 may be secured to the lower member 51by a plurality of bolts 60, one at each corner for securing the coolingmember 55 to the lower member 51.

The lower member 51 has a passageway 62 with an inlet pipe 63 connectedthereto for introducing cold air or other cooling medium into the cavity59 at such time in the operation when it is desired to cool and set thereshaped part. An outlet passageway 64 and outlet pipe 65 communicatewith the cavity to remove the cooling medium therefrom. As will beappreciated by those skilled in the art, the presence of the baffles 57will serve to direct the flow of the cooling air or other cooling mediumthrough the cavity 59.

Means are provided for moving the second mold section 50 into and out ofengagement with the first mold section 30. Such means include a rod 67connected to a hydraulic cylinder or other power means (not shown). Thesecond mold section 50 is guided during its movement to and away fromthe first mold section 30 by means of a pair of vertical guide pins 68extending through a pair of passageways 69 extending through bothmembers of the second mold section 50 and secured to the first moldsection 30.

Also provided as part of the molding mechanism is an upper hold-downplate 70. The hold-down plate may be moved by means not shown from anupper position out of engagement with the first mold section 30 to alower position in engagement with such lower mold section 30. It islocated at a position above the contoured cavity 32 which is in an areanot intended to be heated or to have the length of plastic materialreshaped. As such, the hold-down plate 70 is neither heated nor cooledand simply functions to assist in securely holding the extruded plasticstrip 10 in the contoured cavity 32 during the reshaping step.

The operation of the apparatus will be described in reshaping a strip 20of the type shown in FIGS. 2A, 2B, 2C and 2D which has a plurality oflayers of thermoplastic material.

The strip 20 intended to be reshaped is positioned in the cavity 32 ofthe first mold section 30. As can be seen from FIG. 6, the end 21 of theportion intended to be reshaped extends beyond the end 34 of the cavityand rests on the knife edge 37. Cooling water or other cooling medium isflowed through the passageway 46 throughout the reshaping operation inorder to maintain the outer surface of the outer layer 24 well below thesoftening temperature of the PVC or other plastic forming such layer.Preferably, the temperature of the face of the contoured cavity shouldbe maintained at approximately 140° F.

With the strip 20 so positioned, the second mold section 50 is loweredfrom the position shown in FIG. 6 to the position shown in FIG. 7 whilebeing heated by the cartridge heaters 54 to a temperature above themelting point of the plastic material forming the first layer 23 inorder to heat such first layer 23 to a temperature at which it may bepermanently deformed. As previously noted, for reshaping strips of PVC,the temperature of the lower member 51 of the second mold section shouldbe maintained at 400° to 410° F. The second mold section 20 is forceddownwardly into engagement with the strip 20 and the first mold section30 by power means (not shown) connected to the rod 67 to providesufficient pressure which, coupled with the heat and softening of theplastic material, will cause the strip 20 to be reshaped to conform tothe cavity 32. Any excess material resulting from such reshaping will beforced into the overflow channel 38. If there is excess waste materialbeyond the capacity of the channel 38, it will be forced between theplanar face 31 of the first mold section 30 and the face 52 of the lowermember 51. Preferably, the overflow channel 38 has the capacity forreceiving all of the waste material.

At the same time or, preferably, immediately before the second moldsection 50 is lowered into engagement with the first mold section 30,the hold-down plate 70 is lowered into engagement with the first moldsection 30 and the strip 20 to hold the strip 20 snuggly in the cavityduring the reshaping operation.

As can be readily appreciated from FIGS. 7 and 8, the knife edge 37becomes engaged by that part of the outer surface 24 of the strip 20intended to be reshaped and, as the mold sections 30 and 50 close, theknife edge 37 forces that portion of such outer surface 24 against theface 52 of the lower member 51. Such action places those portions ofsuch outer surface 24 in the same plane as inner face 25 of the stripand also severs or nearly severs the flash 29 from the reshaped strip.

Following reshaping, the cartridge heaters 54 are turned off and coolingair or other cooling medium is introduced into the inlet passageway 62through the inlet pipe 63. Such cooling air flows through thepassageways defined by the baffles 57 and out of the outlet passageway64 and outlet pipe 65. This cooling step is continued until the finishedpart 20C has reached a temperature at which it is fully set.

It should be noted that because the outer surface of the outer layer 24is continuously maintained at a temperature well below its softeningtemperature, it will maintain the appearance it had upon its initialextrusion. More importantly, the outer surface of such outer layer 24will be forced to a position against the molding face 52 of the lowermolding member 51 by virtue of the knife edge 37 acting upon it duringthe reshaping step. The result of this will be to completely cover thereshaped end of the remolded part so that when the finished part isaffixed to a vehicle with the inner surface adjacent the vehicle, theouter surface will be the only surface visible to the viewer.

If desired and as shown in FIG. 13, a conical or other shaped recess 72may be formed in the face 52 of the lower member 51 opposite a portionof the contoured cavity 32 in which the strip 20 is to be reshaped. Insuch embodiment, a portion of the excess plastic will be squeezed intothe recess 72 during the reshaping operation to form a stud or retainingmember 49.

Additionally, FIG. 13 shows a modified molding apparatus which issimilar to the apparatus described in FIGS. 5-9 with the exception thatthere is no channel for receiving excess material squeezed from thecavity during the reshaping operation. Thus, while it is preferred tohave a channel provided such as that indicated by the numeral 38 inFIGS. 5-9, the invention can be utilized to produce commerciallysatisfactory parts without the presence of any such overflow channel.

Thus, as shown in FIG. 13, the cavity terminates at its upper peripheraledge in a sharp point 74 lying in the same plane as the planar face 31of the first mold section 30. During the reshaping operation, the outersurface of the outer layer 24 of the strip to be reshaped is moved bythe sharp point 74 around the periphery of the contoured cavity 32 to aplane approximating that of the planar face 31 and the nearly adjacentface 52 of the lower member of the second mold section. Under thisembodiment any waste or flash material 44 will simply be squeezedbetween the planar face 31 of such first mold section 30 and the face 52of the lower member 51. Strips reshaped under this embodiment will nothave the flash 44 completely severed from the reshaped article and aseparate trimming operation will be required to remove the flash.

FIGS. 4B, 4C, 4D and 4E illustrate a strip which has been reshaped inaccordance with the modified apparatus of FIG. 13. As can be seen inFIGS. 4D and 4E, the outer layer 24 extends well into the area of flash.As previously noted, FIGS. 4B, 4D and 4E show the line of demarcation 45at which the outer layer 24 terminates in the flash and the inner layer23 continues.

Referring now to FIGS. 10A and 10B, there is shown a modifiedconfiguration of finished trim strip 75 which has been reshaped from anextruded strip 78 which has been cut with an end 79 perpendicular to thelongitudinal axis. It has been reshaped in a mold having a cavity toform a stud 73 and has had the reshaped end formed to a significantlythinner thickness than the extruded strip.

Referring now to FIGS. 11A and 11B, there is shown a modifiedconfiguration in which a strip 76 as extruded and cut has been formedwith a corrugated construction out of foam plastic material. FIG. 11Bshows the strip 76 after reshaping to form a finished trim strip 76Bwith the end 77 reshaped to provide a curved contour with the outer skinas originally extruded extending to the back surface intended to facethe vehicle. Thus, the reshaped finished trim strip 76B does not exposethe cellular structure of the foam material.

Referring to FIGS. 12A and 12B, there is illustrated another strip 80prior to reshaping. This strip has an inner structural member 81 whichis extruded from a conventional extruder. Following its extrusion, alayer of decorated plastic or foil 82 is applied thereover from aseparately formed roll of such decorative material. Followingapplication of the decorative layer 82, a protective layer of clear PVC83 may be applied. FIG. 12B shows the finished trim strip 80B followingthe reshaping operation. As will be appreciated, the reshaping operationcauses both the decorative layer 82 and the protective layer 83 to coverthe end so that the base layer 81 is not visible when the finished partis affixed to a vehicle.

The invention described herein provides a trim strip having an enhancedappearance. It has an end portion which is contoured smoothly into themain, un-reshaped portion with no appearance of a line of demarcationbetween the reshaped and un-reshaped portions.

Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art.Accordingly, the invention will be limited in scope only by the scope ofthe following claims.

I claim:
 1. A one-piece trim strip formed from an extruded length ofthermoplastic material having a first side with substantially flatportions intended to be affixed to a structure, said first side, asextruded, extending between a pair of parallel edges and a second sidehaving a contoured surface extending in cross section between saidedges, said strip including along its length a first portion as extrudedand a second remolded end portion having said contoured surface extendto said first side completely around its periphery.
 2. A trim strip asdefined in claim 1 further including at least one retaining stud in saidsecond remolded end portion integral and in situ with and extending fromsaid first side.
 3. A trim strip formed from an extruded length ofthermoplastic material having inner and outer plies of material, saidinner ply having a first side with substantially flat portions intendedto be affixed to a structure, said first side as extruded extendingbetween a pair of parallel edges and said outer ply extending betweensaid edges, said strip including along its length a first portion asextruded and a second remolded end portion having said outer ply extendto said first side completely around its periphery.
 4. A trim strip asdefined in claim 3 further including at least one retaining stud in saidsecond remolded end portion integral and in situ with and extending fromsaid first side away from said outer ply.
 5. A one-piece trim stripformed from an extruded length of thermoplastic material having a firstside with substantially flat portions intended to be affixed to astructure, said first side, as extruded, extending between a pair ofparallel edges and a second side having a contoured surface extending incross section between said edges, said strip including along its lengtha first portion as extruded and a second end portion reshaped by heatingsaid thermoplastic material adjacent said first side at said end portionto a temperature sufficiently high to soften and reshape it while saidcontoured surface is maintained below the softening temperature of saidthermoplastic material such that, following reshaping, said contouredsurface extends to said first side completely around its periphery.
 6. Atrim strip as defined in claim 5 further including at least oneretaining stud in said second reshaped end portion integral and in situwith and extending from said first side.
 7. A trim strip formed from anextruded length of thermoplastic material having inner and outer pliesof material, said inner ply having a first side with substantially flatportions intended to be affixed to a structure, said first side, asextruded, extending between a pair of parallel edges and said outer plyextending between said edges, said strip including along its length afirst portion as extruded and a second end portion reshaped by heatingsaid inner ply at said second end portion to a temperature sufficientlyhigh to soften and reshape it while said outer ply is maintained belowthe softening temperature of said outer ply of material such that,following reshaping, said outer ply extends to said first sidecompletely around its periphery.
 8. A trim strip as defined in claim 7further including at least one retaining stud in said second reshapedend portion integral and in situ with and extending from said first sideaway from said outer ply.